


#hanakoarasaka

by shenanigan_manifesto



Category: Cyberpunk 2077 (Video Game)
Genre: AU, F/M, Fluff, corpo au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-28
Updated: 2021-03-05
Packaged: 2021-03-12 19:09:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,638
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29764269
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shenanigan_manifesto/pseuds/shenanigan_manifesto
Summary: King of the Afterlife. Conquered the Crystal Palace. Cheated death not once, but twice.Night City legend and famed mercenary V had it all, especially with the crown jewel of his life at his side, Hanako Arasaka.But the screamsheets take no prisioners, and the cycle of horrid tabloids and unadulterated gossip can sting even the strongest... but V was never one to back down from a challenge.
Relationships: Male V/Hanako Arasaka
Comments: 4
Kudos: 21





	1. #hanakoarasaka

**Author's Note:**

  * For [CassiopeiaVarAttre](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CassiopeiaVarAttre/gifts).



> This is a gift for Vesna https://cybervesna.tumblr.com/ using her characters from her Corpo AU Vento Aureo! Please go check her out!
> 
> First 2 paragraphs are hers and what inspired me to write this: https://cybervesna.tumblr.com/post/644132631840260096/vincent-hanako-9

_“… So it is true. It sounds crazy! Would you ever believe that Hanako A r a s a k a, the daughter of S A B U R O A R A S A K A, the very same he allegedly kept all her life away from the mortal world would end up with some merc? Eight decades! That’s how long we knew nothing about this woman. If you ask me, this smells like a conspiracy. From Tokyo all the way here to Night City. She’s not your usual celebrity, she’s top tier, the whole pantheon. Take whoever you think is the richest or whatever in this City and all of them aren’t even worth a milisec of her time. And here he comes. “Just V” now known as Vincent Giovanna. An ex-nomad, ex-merc, legend of the Afterlife, who conquered the Crystal Palace, the guy who allegedly cheated death before Saburo did…_

_Think about it. The guy is a one-person army, NCPD feared him even before he started taking big gigs… I think that Arasakas keep him close, so he won’t destroy Arasaka. We already know that he’s capable of doing such a thing. I know, I know… Mike, what are you talking about? They could just pay him. Sure! You are absolutely right, just like Militech and Night Corp could. But look at him carefully, how he acts in public with Hanako. He’s worshiping her. Do you get it now? She was the price.”_

“Can you believe this tabloid filth?” Hanako unfastened her earring with an irritated shake in her hands, dropping the heavy object onto her vanity with a clatter. Vincent winced from across the room, slowly setting aside his tablet.

“It’s just gossip, honey.”

“I know it is.” She shot back, mouth pinched as she removed the other glint of gold from her lobe.

Vincent sighed, pushing himself up to his feet and closing the space between them. He stopped behind her, the cool metal of his hands sliding across her shoulders while he gave her a reassuring squeeze. “You know I love you. You weren’t a price.”

“I do…” She tipped her head as he unfastened her necklace, running his thumb carefully along her bare collarbone. Vincent’s lips curled as he elicited a sweet hum from her lips before she continued. “It is just frustrating to be this forward in the eye of the public. I have not gotten used to it yet.”

“I’m sorry love, I know.” Vincent surely did know how the sting of the screamsheets could cut down to the nerve of even the strongest person. Grainy photos splashed with rude and speculative headlines to get the public talking with no regard to privacy for anyone involved. Nothing was sacred; corporate exchanges, breakups, deaths, marriages, pregnancies; all seemed to fall under the public domain for pithy gossipers like Maximum Mike. 

It pained Vincent to have dragged Hanako into this kind of spotlight.

“Can I take your mind off it?” He asked with a soft and suggestive voice, setting down the delicate necklace and placing his hands back on her shoulders. His fingers pressed gently into the strained muscles in her back, appreciating how her eyes slid shut at his touch. “I think that sounds like a yes~” His voice was almost musical, bending down and wrapping his arms around her, planting an over-exaggerated kiss on her cheek.

“Excellent…” She murmured, smiling at him through the mirror.

Vincent wasn’t sure how he ever got so lucky, and he wasn’t about to stop showing Hanako with as much love as he could muster to keep her there in his arms.

* * *

_Goooood morning Night City! Stan here, today’s going to be a B-E-A-UTIFUL California day, sun’s shining-_

Vincent slapped the alarm clock with an annoyed groan, retracting his hand back under the warm blankets. Five more minutes...

Having been stirred by the grating sound of the alarm, Hanako slowly scooted up behind him, wrapping her tiny arm around his middle and giving him a squeeze from behind. Her body was soft and warm as she spooned his back, her head only coming up to his shoulders.

“Mornin’ lil koala bear.” Vincent mumbled into the pillow, lacing his fingers in between hers. The gentle scrape of the mental met the spots of smooth, organic flesh that still clung to their bones.

Vincent’s eyes slid open as his phone buzzed from his nightstand. Odd. Few people had his direct line, and even fewer had the special status to be able to break through his do-not-disturb settings.

“Hmm…” He hummed, still holding onto Hanako as he reached for it and tapped the screen.

 **[KERRY EURODYNE 07:01]** **  
****Did you see this?? lol!!!!** **  
****  
****[KERRY EURODYNE 07:01]** **  
****< ATTACHED: Vincent Giovanna & Hanako Arasaka Tell All! nightcitylove.com>**

Vincent groaned, letting go of Hanako’s hand to text him back. She squeaked slightly with protest, kissing his shoulder blade and pressing her cheek to his back. “Who is it?”

“Old friend…” Vincent muttered.

 **[V 07:02]** **  
****Kerr it’s so early…** **  
****  
****[V 07:02]** **  
****Yes of course I saw**

 **[V 07:02]** **  
****Hanako’s just about sick of the gossip already.  
** **Idk how much more I want to put her through.** **  
****  
****[KERRY EURODYNE 07:02]** **  
****Look at the comments!!**

The comments?

Vincent tapped on the link and the garish colors of the Night City Love website greeted his eyes. Scrolling down past the article to the comments, he squinted at the screen. Someone had pasted together a dozen or so images of Vincent and Hanako; out to dinner, on their yacht, walking down the street; and in each one, Vincent was looking at her with fire in his eyes. Admiring his queen. 

The caption read:

> Get yourself a gonk that looks at you like Vincent looks at #hanakoarasaka >.<

It was the top comment, over a thousand likes. He tapped the replies.

> “This is true loveeee omg”
> 
> “These 2 are literally so cute I hate myself D:”
> 
> “how could anyone say that this is an arasaka setup?? Look at them.”
> 
> “CUTE”
> 
> “I can see the love in his eyes.”

He blinked. Wow… despite the shitty conclusions that the screamsheets came to, the commenters sure had him pinned. He almost giggled until another text came through.

 **[KERRY EURODYNE 07:04]** **  
****Sick of the gossip huh??  
I remember those days. She’ll get used to it.**

 **[V 07:04]** **  
****Would be better if the real story was out there.** **  
****  
****[KERRY EURODYNE 07:05]** **  
****What u mean?** **  
****  
****[V 07:05]** **  
****Like these commenters, they get it.  
I love her. She wasn’t a transaction. ** **  
****  
****[KERRY EURODYNE 07:06]** **  
****🤮🤮🤮** **  
****  
****[KERRY EURODYNE 07:06]** **  
****You guys are so cute I’m too hungover for this** **  
  
**

**[V 07:07]** **  
****lmao fuck off**

 **  
****[KERRY EURODYNE 07:07]** **  
****Here’s my unsolicited advice!! take matters into your own hands.  
You have a story, tell it.** **  
****  
****[V 07:08]** **  
****Hmmm…** **  
****  
****[V 07:08]** **  
****Thanks Kerr.**

 **[KERRY EURODYNE 07:10]** **  
****Aaaaaanything for a NC legend 😘😘**

Vincent let out a thoughtful hum, tossing his phone back on the nightstand and rotating to face Hanako. He ran his knuckles along her cheek, taking in her sleepy face. It was a special kind of love to be able to see through her opulent facade. The drips of gold and powder didn’t cling to her skin this early; he saw nothing but her sweet eyes and rosy lips, framed with a curtain of her beautiful dark hair. Fresh, natural… wonderfully _her_.

He kissed the tip of her nose.

“What did your friend want?”

“Nothing, just sending me some trashy article.”

“Hmm… so early…”

“Let’s stay a while then.” He purred, pushing his lips onto hers. He felt her smile slightly.

Of all the ways Vincent had bounded up the ladder in NC, striking the fear of god into every corp or cop that crossed his path, it was just like him that he was ready to take on yet another challenge. 

This time perhaps without blood or iron, but... he knew a guy...


	2. @MaxJones

Vincent paced through the halls of their apartment, rolling up the sleeves on his shirt. After a few dodged calls and a pulled favor, he finally had his guest coming that morning. Hanako was out on Arasaka business and wasn’t due back for hours. He clapped his hands together once excitedly as the buzzer rang.

“Hey buddy come on up.”

“V.” Max greeted him when he stepped out of the elevator, extending his hand to shake.

“Vincent now, actually. Good to see you Max.”

“Ah yes, Vincent Giovanna himself who summoned me. Legend of the Afterlife.”

Max Jones had the same air of cautious irritation as he did when they first met; same deceptively normal appearing corporate wear covered a few of his marks from his wild days. Vincent studied him as he shrugged off his jacket, taking it from him and draping it over a chair. A hint of a tattoo here, a glint of a sneaky piercing there. The glances of roughness around the edges drew a wide line between his work and the corporate journalists that flooded the NC news pipeline. Vincent knew he was perfect for this.

“Why don’t we talk outside?”

“Ah yeah, suits like you have shit like patios, huh?”

Vincent smirked, fully expecting the snide remark. “Wasn’t a suit then, not a suit now. C’mon.” He beckoned the journiast out through a set of glass doors, stepping up to the bar.

“What’s your poison?”

“Whiskey, rocks. Scotch if you have it. Thanks.” Max looked around, clearly uncomfortable with the display of wealth that Vincent had come to.

“Ah, perfect.” Vincent snatched a bottle from a shelf above. “Highland Park, barreled in the fine year of 2037.”

“I wasn’t even born then.”

“Ah shit, well, me neither.”

Max let out a laugh through his nose and Vincent grinned. He was determined to win him over, and seemed to be on the right track.

A few clear ice cubes plinked as Vincent added them to a glass. He poured Max’s drink, sliding it over to him before fixing himself a finger of his favorite tequila. He didn't mind breaking out the good stuff for a worthy occasion.

“Cheers.” Vincent said, reaching all the way to clink his glass on Max’s despite the fact that he did not meet him halfway.

“So what do you want?”

“Ah a man down to business, I like it.” Vincent took a quick sip of his drink. “Let’s talk.” He started to wander off to their lounge furniture, gesturing with his hands every step of the way as he spoke. “So my dear queen Hanako has been out of the public eye for years and years, right?”

“Yes I’m aware.” Max tipped his drink back. “Holy shit.”

“Good right?” Vincent clapped him on the back, flashing him another beaming smile as he continued. “So these screamsheets take no prisoners. Constant shit-flinging and speculation. For me, I’m used to it. Hell, I’m pretty sure someone’s literally spit in my face before.”

“Mhm.” Max pulled out a cigarette. “You mind?”

“Not at all.” Vincent lied, his nose wrinkling at the smell as it was lit.

“So what do you want from me? You know I don’t do that fluffy gossip shit.”

“Ok so here’s the thing.” Vincent held his free hand up for emphasis. “I think the fact that you don’t do ‘fluffy gossip shit’ is going to help me a lot. Help _us_ a lot.”

“Meaning?” Max asked, dangling the cigarette from his lips while he watched his drink swirl in his hand.

“Meaning that you can really get down to the facts of this. Real shit. Real love.” Max looked incredulous, and Vincent continued. “Arasaka, Saburo, any of them did not have a hand in this at all. This is a story about _overcoming_ the power of a corp, see?”

“Hm.”

“I love her, she’s everything to me. Some people can see that online but they don’t make the headlines, get the clicks. And all this shit about her being some kind of… consolation prize for not taking down Arasaka is wearing her down. And I don’t like that.” Max was listening intently but looking away at the cars in the distance, the ember of his cigarette flaring as he inhaled.

“People gotta have _hope_ that the corps don’t control their whole lives, Max. I used to slave away at that life, pushing papers and kissing ass to try and slog my way up the ladder. It kills you right in your soul. If people can see that even the most important woman at the company can break away from those expectations and fall in love with a dork like me? Well fuck! Anyone can.”

“It’s some Romeo and Juliet bullshit, I get it.”

“Yes! Exactly! The merc and the heiress, imagine how much attention that’ll get for your news site.” Max was still on the fence, but Vincent had not gotten to the sweetest part of the deal yet. He could barely contain his glee as he did a finger gun gesture in his direction. “And I’ll fund all your projects for the next six months.” 

Now that certainly got Max’s attention, his eyebrows flying up into his forehead. “Six months? You’re not fucking with me?”

“Yes, for real. Whatever truth you gotta tell, whatever stories you want to chase. I’ll support that. And I’ll send some mercs with you if another corp tries sniffing around.”

Even behind the dark glasses Vincent could see his eyes twitch. After pulling the last drag off his cigarette and tossing it off the roof to the street down below, Max began rolling his shoulders in contemplation. Vincent leaned forward, watching the path where his cigarette had fallen.

“That probably hit somebody...” He muttered to nobody in particular.

“Ok.” Max ignored his comment. “All I have to do is run _one_ story about Hanako Arasaka? And you’re serious?”

Vincent nodded, looking at the journalist over the glass as he swallowed the last gulp of his tequila. “That is, unless you think that it’s below your calibur. Helping a suit and all.”

“Like you said, _you’re_ not. And you weren’t when we met when you uh..” Max ran a hand through his hair as if to massage a thought into his brain. “Fuck. I mean, if there’s gotta be something good left in Night City, I might as well talk about it sometime.”

“So is that a yes?”

“Fine.”

“ _Fine_ works as well! Thank you Max.” Vincent extended his hand and got an unenthusiastic one in return. No matter, as long as the job was done and Hanako was happy, he was happy. 

“Be at Pepper & Spice tonight around 8pm. I’ll have some of my guys grab a photo so be cute and shit, alright?”

“Absolutely.” Vincent nearly clicked his heels together. ”Hey let me know if there’s anything I can do for you, alright?”

“I’m just gonna leave before I get sick of all the _love_.” Max chuckled to himself, pulling on his jacket before exiting down the elevator.

“Yes!” Vincent clapped his hands and whooped, dancing for a second in a circle. He was grinning when he grabbed his phone to call Hanako.

“Anata?” She greeted, her beautiful silver eyes flicking to the camera input.

“Hello my darling.”

“You are in a good mood.”

“Only because I’m seeing you again.” He felt a twinge of satisfaction as he conjured a smile out of her. “Can I take you out tonight?”

“What’s the occasion?” She asked, tipping her head to the side coyly.

“I just want you to have a great start to your weekend, is all.”

“Hm, you little fox. You know I’d love to.”

“Fantastic.”

“I have business to return to, but I will see you in a few hours, alright?”

“Absolutely. I love you.”

She winked. “Kimi o aishitemasu.”


End file.
